AUBURN, Ala. – No. 14 Women's tennis came away with two home wins over Texas Tech and South Alabama during a doubleheader on Sunday. The Tigers claimed the first match against Texas Tech 4-2 and shut out South Alabama in the second match 4-0.
The Texas Tech match did not start the way the Tigers were hoping, as the team had a slow start in doubles. After Texas Tech quickly claimed court three 6-2, DJ Bennett and Adeline Flach were tied on court two at 3-3, but Texas Tech's Cristina Tiglea and Mariya Polishchuk pulled away and won the match 6-3 to claim the doubles point for the Red Raiders.
On court one, Ariana Arseneault and Angella Okutoyi erased a 2-0 deficit and were leading Avelina Sayfetdinova and Metka Komac, the fifth ranked doubles team in the nation, 5-4 when the match was abandoned.
Fifth-year senior Carolyn Ansari continued her momentum from winning both singles matches during ITA Kickoff Weekend by dominating No. 69 Tiglea 6-3, 6-0. Texas Tech then answered with a straight set victory of its own on court two and reclaimed the lead 2-1.
Sophomore DJ Bennett earned a quick 6-1 opening set victory over Avelina Sayfetdinova, then entered a tiebreaker in a second set that was tied at three different points. Bennett shut out Sayfetdinova in the second set tiebreaker to win the match 6-1, 7-6 (0) and tie the team score at two.
Angella Okutoyi won her match on court four in straight sets before Ava Esposito Cogan clinched the 4-2 team victory for the Tigers with a 7-5, 6-1 win on court five. The win marked the freshman's first singles dual match victory in her collegiate career.
The doubles point went much more smoothly for Auburn in the afternoon match against South Alabama, as the Tigers won the doubles point with 6-2 victories on courts two and three.
In singles, Auburn earned opening set victories on five courts to get off to a hot start. Okutoyi earned her second victory of the day on court four, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Manal Ennaciri and claimed the first singles win of the match for Auburn.
After earning the opening set 6-0, DJ Bennett took a 3-2 advantage in the second set against Nikola Novotna and never looked back. Bennett won the second set 6-2 and put the Tigers one point away from a team win.
Arseneault clinched the win over the Jaguars for Auburn, as she recorded a 6-2, 6-2 win over Elysia Pool for her seventh singles win of the season.
The two wins improved Auburn's record to 4-1 for the season and a perfect 2-0 in home matches. Up next, the Tigers will travel to Seattle for the ITA National Team Indoor Championships that will be played Feb. 9 through Feb. 12.
#14 Auburn 4, Texas Tech 2
Singles Results:
1. #8 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. #69 Cristina Tiglea (TTU) 6-3, 6-0
2. Mariya Polishchuk (TTU) def. Ariana Arseneault (AUB) 6-4, 6-2
3. #34 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Avelina Sayfetdinova (TTU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-0)
4. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Metka Komac (TTU) 6-3, 5-3
5. Ava Esposito Cogan (AUB) def. Andreea Lila (TTU) 7-5, 6-1
6. Ali DeSpain (AUB) vs. Jermine Sherif (TTU) 4-6, 4-5, unfinished
Doubles Results:
1. Ariana Arseneault/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. #5 Avelina Sayfetdinova/Metka Komac (TTU) 5-4
2. Cristina Tiglea/Mariya Polishchuk (TTU) def. DJ Bennett/Adeline Flach (AUB) 6-3
3. Andreea Lila/Jermine Sherif (TTU) def. Ali DeSpain/Ava Esposito Cogan (AUB) 6-2
Time of match: 2:17; Order of finish: Doubles: 3,2; Singles: 1,2,3,4,5; Official: Donna Jerome
#14 Auburn, South Alabama 0
Singles Results:
1. #8 Carolyn Ansari (AUB) vs. Tereza Dejnozkova (USA) 6-2, 5-4, unfinished
2. Ariana Arseneault (AUB) def. Elysia Pool (USA) 6-2, 6-2
3. #34 DJ Bennett (AUB) def. Nikola Novotna (USA) 6-0, 6-2
4. Angella Okutoyi (AUB) def. Manal Ennaciri (USA) 6-1, 6-0
5. Ava Esposito Cogan (AUB) vs. Chems Doha Zeghlouli (USA) 3-6, 4-4, unfinished
6. Ali DeSpain (AUB) vs. Otoha Aoki (USA) 6-4, 2-2, unfinished
Doubles Results:
1. Ariana Arseneault/Angella Okutoyi (AUB) vs. Tereza Dejnozkova/Elysia Pool (USA) 5-3, unfinished
2. DJ Bennett/Carolyn Ansari (AUB) def. Manal Ennaciri/Chems Doha Zeghlouli (USA) 6-2
3. Ali DeSpain/Ava Esposito Cogan (AUB) def. Nikola Novotna/Lara van der Merwe (USA) 6-2
Time of match: 1:56; Order of finish: Doubles: 2,3; Singles: 4,3,2